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WILKES-BARRE - The pain is still fresh for the Goodson family more than a month after 27-year-old Shantique Goodson was gunned down in the Sherman Hills Apartments in Wilkes-Barre.

Family members showed up in force Wednesday morning at a preliminary hearing for Kenneth "Stone" Malik Evans III, the man accused of killing her. They wore memorial shirts depicting Goodson, who was known as "Teeka," and spoke about the tragedy.

"It just hurt. It just hurt. The way he slaughtered my child. She's a female and I think that's a coward move to kill a female," Goodson's mother, Stacey Goodson, said before the hearing.

"I'm not mad at Kenny because Kenny and Teeka was friends. I'm just disappointed that he killed his own friend and me and Kenny's mother is losing a child because he's going to prison and my child is in the grave. (She) can see her kid. I've got to go to a grave to see Teeka."

Evans, 21, of 19 S. Empire St., is facing a count of criminal homicide in the death of Goodson, of 328 Parkview Circle, who was killed Nov. 11. Magisterial District Judge Martin Kane ruled at the hearing Wednesday that Evans would stand trial on the charge.

Before testimony even got underway, boisterous conversation in the gallery drew a rebuke from Kane, who warned Goodson's and Evans' families he would not tolerate interruptions. Minutes later, he ejected Goodson's sister, Simone Jones - first from the courtroom and then the building - after her conversation continued interrupting court.

Evans is accused of shooting Goodson after she and her girlfriend, 22-year-old Tiara McDuffie, pulled into a lot near Goodson's apartment and began talking with Jasmine Frazier, who was watching McDuffie's dog.

Frazier testified Wednesday that she saw Evans and a man named "Tay" emerge from behind a building. Evans then approached the vehicle and cursed, telling Goodson to get out, she said.

"All Teeka said was, 'Didn't we talk about this yesterday?'" Frazier testified.

Evans then raised a pistol and fired twice, striking Goodson in the abdomen, she said. McDuffie pulled away and sped to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Goodson was rushed from there to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township, where she died at 5:27 p.m., Luzerne County Coroner Bill Lisman testified. The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, he said.

Frazier testified that she did not know what started the dispute from the former friends, and family members in attendance declined to comment on that aspect of the case.

Court records show Goodson and Evans were awaiting trial in separate heroin trafficking cases. Police say they found 2,000 bags of heroin worth more than $45,000, a large amount of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia at Evans' home, and Goodson was arrested along with her girlfriend after they allegedly sold an informant 99 bags of "Aftershock"-brand heroin worth $2,000.

The defense on Wednesday sought to have a count of second-degree murder dismissed against Evans. Defense attorney John Pike argued that prosecutors failed to prove another crime had been committed as required under the felony murder statute.

Assistant District Attorney Jarrett Ferentino argued Evans "committed a great act of cowardice" and that the case clearly was an "intentional murder."

Kane rejected the defense motion and ordered the open count of homicide to trial.

Evans' family members were also in attendance at the hearing, and he repeatedly looked back at them, exchanging glances. His sister, Jeanette Evans, 19, of Brooklyn, N.Y., maintained he is innocent.

"He had nothing to do with that," Jeanette Evans said. "This is all a corruption scam and it's a scheme just to get money out of him, you feel me? Make him get a job and make him pay back fines, court fees and the whole nine yards."

jhalpin@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2058, @cvjimhalpin

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